At one point or another, many of us have been stuck with a job that wasn’t necessarily in our field of interest. That can be bad for the employee in question, of course — but a new psychological study shows that it’s bad for business, as well. Employees who are interested in their jobs consistently perform better than their surly peers. They are more likely to help out coworkers; are less likely to leave their jobs; and even commit less deviant behavior in the workplace, according to the study.

If this seems obvious, well, it kind of is. But the fact is, hiring decision often don’t take this into account — and the presumption that someone who gets a job is fundamentally interested in that job may in fact be holding back office productivity. A more thoughtful approach to the application and hiring process is likely to yield both more satisfied employees and better workers.